Cucumber Linux aims to provide a Linux distribution that is usable as an every day, general purpose operating system. It aims to this in as minimalistic a way as possible and in a way that follows the Unix Philosophy. Cucumber Linux favors simplicity and modularity of design over simplicity of use. While developed independently, Cucumber's design is heavily influenced by Slackware Linux.

Linspire has released a live CD edition of Linspire 5.0 for download via BitTorrent. This edition lacks the hard disk installation option, but it is free to download and distribute as a demo CD to showcase the latest Linspire technology. Get it from here: linspire_live_5.0.69.torrent (646MB). On a related note, two new reviews of Linspire 5.0 have been published by OSNews and Amnews. OSNews: "I was very impressed already with Linspire 4.5, but 5.0 is a huge improvement in usability, features, speed and productivity over 4.5." Amnews: "'The World's Easiest Desktop Linux'? Yup! Everything just works! Five-0 does a stellar job detecting and configuring your hardware so that you don't have to."

Linspire is a full-featured operating system (based on Debian GNU/Linux and Ubuntu) like Microsoft Windows XP or Apple Mac OS X. Linspire offers the power, stability and cost-savings of Linux with the ease of a Windows environment. In addition, Linspire features exclusive Click-N-Run (CNR) technology that makes installing software on Linspire fast and easy. Note: Linspire was acquired by Xandros Inc. in July 2008 and discontinued as a Linux distribution shortly afterwards. Linspire was later purchased by PC/OpenSystems in 2017 and sold as an Ubuntu-based commercial distribution.

Linspire 6.0, a user-friendly, commercial distribution based on Ubuntu, has been released: "Linspire, Inc., developer of the Linspire commercial and Freespire community desktop Linux operating systems and CNR.com, a free Linux software delivery service, today announced the immediate availability of Linspire 6.0, the latest commercial release of the desktop Linux operating system. Building on the best of open source software using Ubuntu as its base line, Linspire 6.0 adds licensed proprietary drivers, codecs, and software in its core distribution to provide a better user experience. The first commercial release from Linspire, Inc. in over two years, Linspire 6.0 continues its traditional focus on ease-of-use and bundles proprietary software where there are no viable open source alternatives, providing improved hardware, file type, and multimedia support, such as MP3, Real, Java, Flash, ATI, NVIDIA, WiFi, and many more." Read the press release and visit the product's features page for further details. Linspire 6.0 is available for purchase and download from the company's online store (US$49.95).

Linspire has announced the release of an updated ISO image for Linspire Five-0, version 5.1.147: "The engineers released Linspire Five-0 V2 today." Although this appears to be a minor update, several new features have been included in this release; most notable among them are: upgraded kernel 2.6.14; upgrade to X.Org 6.9.0; replacement of LTorrent with BitTorrent 4.4.0; addition of Gizmo, a free and easy-to-use Internet phone; a large number of new network tool features and supported Windows modems; upgrade to OpenOffice.org 2.0; many bug fixes. For more information and a detailed list of changes please see the release announcement and release notes. The new build of Linspire Five-0, which serves both as an installation and live CD, is available from the distribution's online store (US$49.95). Existing Linspire customers can download the new CD directly from My.Linspire.

LinuxElectrons has published a new review of Linspire 5.0: "The Linux Desktop has arrived for the average user and it's called Linspire 5.0. Linspire's feature set exceeds that of any currently shipping Windows desktop when combined with CNR. Despite some of the problems I ran into, this is the perfect upgrade for those Win 9X, NT, 2000 machines. I can even recommend Linspire to power users now that developer support has been added. It's just really nice to plug things in and have them work. ... Do I think Linspire has value? Yes I do. You are paying for that hand-holding. In fact, I've convinced my mom to try Linspire on her kitchen computer, she's tired of the viruses, scams and hack-attacks that go along with running Windows." The 3-page review starts here.

ExtremeTech has published a Linspire 5.0 review by Jim Lynch: "Now Linspire 5.0 is out, and it's taking a bit of inspiration from another commercial operating system -- Mac OS X. Version 5.0 has a lot of new features, including a new look and feel, the 2.6.10 kernel, KDE 3.3, Reiser 4 file system, x.org 6.8.2, 802.11g wireless support, new AOL dialer, enhanced firewall, BitTorrent support, and a VPN wizard among other things. Also included are a couple of new apps modeled somewhat after Apple's iLife: Lsongs music manager and the Lphoto photo manager. Linspire also comes bundled with OpenOffice.org 1.1.3 and a new tutorial player designed to make learning about Linspire easy and fast." Read the full review with slideshow.

Jem Matzan has published his experience with tweaking Linspire 5.0 on Linux.com: "Linspire 5.0 (Five-0) is a Debian GNU/Linux-based distribution with a pretty interface, proprietary video drivers and browser plug-ins, and a pricey desktop software subscription model. If you like Linspire but hate the company's Click N Run pay-as-you-go software service, here's how to disable and circumvent CNR and switch to using standard Debian packages and the Synaptic package manager. I'll also show you how to set up your system for watching DVDs without Linspire's proprietary DVD player software." Read the full article. Yet another review on Linspire 5.0 is here.

Two very positive reviews of the recently released Linspire 5.0 have been published. BetaGeeks: "Linspire 5.0 Is just what you have been waiting for - a very fun fast stable alternative operating system with extremely good support. With all the improvements Linspire has made to Linux, I do not see myself ever going back to Windows." WindowsBeta: "Linspire makes the jump from Windows to Linux easy. You will find free replacement applications for most of the popular Windows programs, and it supports most filetypes. The web experience is the same as on Windows. Email and IM is just as easy." Also, don't miss the beautiful Linspire 5.0 installation and desktop screenshots by OSDir.com.

Mad Penguin is the first one with a comprehensive review of the new Linspire 5.0: "While I wouldn't recommend this distribution to Linux power users (this really isn't Linspire's target audience in the first place), I find it hard not to point new users in their direction, whether as an operating system upgrade to existing outdated equipment or as a new PC purchase from the likes of Sub300.com and other Linspire-enabled PC vendors. This has to be the easiest Linux distro I've ever seen, including everything from installation right down to every day use. Hands down this is the easiest... and that has value all in itself doesn't it? The applications are organized well, appropriately named, and I have to admit the developers chose an excellent compliment all together." Visit here to read the full review with many screenshots.

Linspire 5.0, or Five-0 as they prefer to call it, has been released: "Linspire, Inc. today announced the release of its latest operating system, Linspire Five-0. More than a year in the making and with more than 1,200 improvements, the newest version of Linspire boasts enhancements in every core application and provides the most secure, reliable and easy-to-use desktop Linux experience available for home, business and school users. Highlights include a completely revised and streamlined graphical interface, improved laptop and hardware support, significant Internet optimization, and dozens of enhanced software applications to provide a complete user experience." Here is the full press release and a list of features. Linspire Five-0 is available from the distribution's online store starting at US$49.95.